Phonograph



J. R. CAMBRON El AL Sept. 23, 1952 PHONOGRAPH l5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 15, 1948 IN VENTOPS. Jo/zr; P. Cambron, Dauzd C ,Qocl ola flm' Sept. 23, 1952 J. R. CAMBRON El AL 2,511,619

PHONOGRAPH l Filed May 15, 1948 13 Shets-Sheet 3 IINVENTOQS'I D Z Z C' 2m 5 v ufiwnqflm dilorme ys p 1952 J. R. CAMBRON ET AL 1,619

PHONOGRAPH Filed May 15, 1948 13 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVE/V T0125 John 12. Cambro/L David C Bockala Sept. 23, 1952 J. R. CAMERON ET AL 2,611,619

7 PHONOGRAPH Filed May 15, 1948 13 Sheet s$heet 5 INVENTORS 3, John 2. C'anzbm/L D (1632 kl CM 64 222 Sept. 23, 1952 J. h. CAMBRON ET AL 2,611,619

' PHONOGRAPH Filed May 15, 1948 l5 Sheets-Sheet 7 zvmvrozes: Jolzr; B. Cambro/L 5 Dtwzd C Bockola dizor/zqys pt. 23, 952 J. R. CAMBRON ET AL 2,611,619

PHONOGRAPH Filed May 15, 1948 13 Sheets-Sheet 8 [NJ ENTERS Jail/LR. Cambm/L d/xliavz dcfockqla diiomcggs Sept. 23, 1952 J. R. CAMBRON El AL I 2,611,619

PHONOGRAP-H Filed May 15, 1948 13 SheetsSheet 10 [N VEN T0195 5 Jolzri .Q. Cambm/L am s s p 3, 1952 J. R. CAMERON El AL 19 PHONOGRAPH Filed May 15, 1948 13 Sheets-Sheet 12 Zq- Z5 i 19- INVEN T0123.

Sept. 23, 1952 I J. R. CAMERON ET AL 2,611,619

' PHONOGRAPH q INVENTURS: ii 5 fi fis z z GUI 0C 0 altar/2429s Patented Sept. 23, 1952 PHONOGR-APH John R. Cambron and David C. Rockola, Chicago,

111., assignors to Rock-Ola Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application May 15, 1948, Serial No. 27,297

2 Claims.

This invention relates in general to phonographs, and more particularly to the home type of automatic record changer adapted to play either one or a plurality of disc records.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of such a phonograph which is capable of playing successively and automatically either the recordings on both sides of a plurality of disc records, or the recordings on only one side of each of said records, or which may be employed in the so-called manual style of operation for playing either recording on any particular record.

Another important object of the invention is to provide novel mechanism in such a phono-' graph which enables either ten-inch or twelveinch disc records to be played during either the automatic or the manual operation thereof.

A further important object is the provision of novel control means in such a phonograph, in cluding a normally closed control switch opened by the weight of one or more records in a record storage means and automatically closed whenever the last of such records is removed therefrom, and a normally open play-terminating switch which is closed by the record reproducer means or tone arm upon completion of its playing movement, whereby a main switch, manually closable to initiate machine operation, is automatically opened by a solenoid which is energized when all of these switches are closed.

Another object of the invention is to prevent termination of the machine operation until after playing of both sides of the last record to be played, when the phonograph is set to play the recordings on each side of one or more records, which is accomplished by providing a normally open fourth switch, connected in series with the other switches above-enumerated, which is closed only upon actuation of auxiliary record supporting means to their normal inoperative position, whereby machine operation will not be terminated upon completion of the playing of a recording on the under side of the last record by closing of the play-terminating switch by the tone arm, because such auxiliary record supporting means will then be in their operative position supporting such played record and this fourth switch will be open.

A further important object of the invention is the provision, in a record changing phonograph having a turntable, a motor for rotating the same and actuating mechanism adapted to be cyclically operated thereby and stopped automatically upon engagement of the tone arm with a recording to be played, of novel trip mechanism for automatically re-instituting operation of the actuating mechanism in response to movement of the tone arm to play-terminating position upon completion of the playing of such recording.

Another object is to provide novel reject mechanism in such a phonograph comprising means manually operable to terminate the playing of a recording at any time during the playing thereof and immediately to institute operation of the next cycle of operations of the actuating mechanism.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a record changing phonograph having a turntable, record reproducer means, record storage means for storing a plurality of disc records, means for moving the records one at a time from the storage means into a position in alignment with the turntable, auxiliary record supporting means for receiving each record so positioned by the moving means and supporting it for playing of the recording on the reverse side thereof by the reproducer means and for thereafter delivering such record to the turntable for playing of the recording on the obverse side thereof by the reproducer means, and cyclically operable actuating mechanism for automatically actuating the moving means, supporting means and reproducer means in proper sequence to accomplish such successive playing of the recordings on both sides of each record in the storage means.

Another object of the invention is to provide selectively operable control mechanism for varying the cyclic operation of the actuating mecher nism in such a phonograph so as to eliminate the playing of the recordings on the reverse sides of the records by causing the auxiliary supporting means to deliver each record, immediately as received from the moving means, directly to the turntable, whereby only the recordings on the obverse sides of the records in the storage means will be played successively.

A further object is to provide novel yieldable connections between the actuating mechanism of such a phonograph and the auxiliary record supporting means, so as to prevent any damage to the parts, which otherwise would result from manual forcing movement of the supporting means out of any position to which the same has been moved by the actuating mechanism, by permitting such manual movement of the supporting means; these yieldable connections also functioning toreturn the supporting means to such position upon manual release thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of novel connections between the reproducer the present invention, before describing the parts thereof. in detail. The illustrated record changer is shown as being mounted upon a supporting frame A comprising a top plate 32 and a bottom plate 33 (Fig. 7). Riotatably mounted upon this supporting frame is a conventional turntable B (Fig. .12) having 2. depending peripheral flange 34 in driven engagement with .a friction wheel 35 (Figs. 1 and 8) which,.in turn, is driven in well known manner by a suitable electric motor C. Record reproducer means D (Figs. 1 to 3, and 11) is provided whichcomprises a single tone :arm 36 having mounted in well known manner in the forward end thereof acrystal type pick-up cartridge 31 (Fig. 10) and upwardly and down-. ward-1y extending needles 38 and 39, respectively. It will be understood that each needle or stylus 38, 39 is operatively connected in the usual manner to the crystal so as to transmit thereto physical variations in the recorded sound track or groove of a record for transportation thereby into electrical impulses adapted to be amplified and converted into sound by suitable amplifier and speaker means, not shown in the drawings.

Record storage means E are provided (Figs. 1 and. to 31) which include an off-set spindle 4i and a. slidably adjustable shelf 42 for peripherally supporting one or more records R in stack position in spaced relationship to the turntable B, as shown in broken lines in the upper part of vi Fig. 29. Record moving means F (Figs. 1 and 25 to are operatively associated with the record storage means E and include a push-off slide 43 for transversely moving the lowermost record in the supported stack to align the usual center hole therein with the lower vertical portion of the off-set spindle 4| to permit such record to fall by gravity from the stack. The record moving means F also includes a switch'actuating control member or vertical rod 44 operable to control the automatic'stopping of the phonograph in a manner to, be described hereafter.

Auxiliary recordsupport means G (Figs. 1, 9, 10, 15 to 19 and 29), including vertically movable and horizontally swingable wheels 45, are provided for receiving each record separated from the stack by the moving means F for supporting and rotating such record for the playing of the recording on the underside thereof by the reproducer means D, and for thereafter delivering such record to the turntable B for the playing of the recording on the upper side thereof by the reproducer means D. The present invention contemplates not only automatic cyclic operation of these mechanisms to, accomplish such successive playing of the recordings on both sides of a plurality of records, but also contemplates the optional playing serially of the recordings on the upper sides only of a plurality of records by altering the cycle of operation of the auxiliary record support means G, so that the wheels 45 function only to receive a record delivered by the moving means F and todeliver the same to the turntable B for the playing of the upper recording thereon by the reproducer means D.

For accomplishing these functions automatically, cyclically operable actuating mechanism H is provided (Figs. 2, 5, 8, 9 and 12) which includes a horizontally disposed cam gear 46 having a railroad type switch 41 pivotally mounted on the under surface thereof for rendering operative outer and inner cam grooves 48 and 49, respectively, during successive complete rotations of the cam 46. Cam 43 is adapted to be driven by a pinion 5| rigidly'secured to the lower end of the hub of the turntable B. The gear formed on the periphery of the cam 46 has a short gap therein (Figs. 2 and 8) which limits actuation of the cam gear'by pinion 5| to one complete rotation each time that the cam gear is brought into engagement with this driving pinion. The means for causing driving engagement between the cam gear 46 and pinion 5| comprises a spline 52 secured to, or formed integrally with, the-hub of the turntable B above the pinion 5i and adapted to be engaged by the outer end of a trip lever 53 pivotally mounted on the upper side of cam gear 46. Movement of the trip 53 from its normally inoperative full line position of Fig. 5 to swing the outer end thereof outwardly to-its lower broken line position therein, will cause this outer end of the trip lever to be engaged by the spline 52, which is rotating with the turntable -B, which will rotate cam 45 a sufficient distance to engage the peripheral gear thereon with driving pinion 5|. The cyclically operable actuating mechanism H also includes driving connections between cam gear 46 and the auxiliary record supporting wheels 45 (Figs. 8, 9, and 15 to 19) for simultaneously swinging such wheels horizontally and for simultaneously raising and lowering them; between cam gear 46 and the tone arm 36 (Figs. 2 to 5, 8 and 10 to, 12) for swinging the latter horizontally; from cam gear 46 for raising the stylus end of the tone arm 36 from neutral position to engage needle 38 with the lower surface of a record supported on Wheels 45 (Figs. 7 to 10 and 14); from cam gear 46 for lowering the stylus end of the tone arm from neutral position to engage needle 39 with the upper surface of a record on turntable B (Figs. 2, 8 and 11 to 13) and driving connections from cam gear 46 to the push-off mechanism slide 43 (Figs. 8, 9 and 25 to 30).

Novel control means are also provided in the instant phonograph which include a control lever 54 (Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8) selectively settable to predetermine automatic operation of the phonograph, either to play successively the recordings on both sides of one or more records, orto play successively the recordings on similar sides only of a plurality of records, or to prevent operation of the actuating mechanism H to permit manual operation of the machine. lever55 (Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8) is also provided which is selectively operable at any time during the playing of a record to terminate such playing and automatically initiate operation of the normally next succeeding cycle of the actuating mechanism. To accomplish this result, reject lever 55 moves a latch lever 56 (Figs. 5, 6 and 12) from its full line position of Fig. 5, wherein it normally maintains trip lever 53 in its full line inoperative position, to its broken line position to permit movement of trip lever 53 to its operative position by a suitable spring 51. This latch lever 56 is similarly actuated to initiate rotation of cam gear 46 by the inward horizontal swinging of tone arm 36 to its play-terminating position, illustrated in broken lines at 36d in Figs. 1 and 3, upon completion of the playing of any recording, in a manner to be described more in detail hereinafter. The control means also includes a linkage settable by the selective setting of the peripheral supporting shelf 42 to determine the particular initial playing position to which the tone arm 36 will be'moved automatically, in accordance with whether a twelve inch or a ten inch record is being played, as illustrated in broken A reject lines at 36b and 360, respectively (Figs. 2,3,8,

25, 2'7 and 29). H

A suitable electric circuit for controlling operation of the motor C is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 24, and includes a source of electrical energy 58, a main switch 59 (Figs. 1, 2, 8, 20 and 21) which is normally open and is adapted to be closed manually, and a solenoid 5| (Figs. 2, 8 and 20) adapted, when energized, to open the main switch automatically. The control circuit also includes three switches connected in series with the main switch 59 and the solenoid 61, whereby the solenoid 61 will be energized to open the main switch 58 when, and only when, all three of, these switches and the main switch are closed. The first of these control switches cornprises a record-responsive switch 52 (Figs. 22 and 31) which is normally closed and is adapted to be opened by the weight of a record or records R on the storage means E through the agency of rod 44. Another of these control switches comprises an auxiliary record support actuated switch 53 (Figs. 2, 8, '9, and 22) which is normally open and is closed only when the auxiliary record supporting wheels 45 are swung out to their normal inoperative position, as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1, 15 and 18. The remaining one of these control switches comprises a tone arm actuated, play-terminating switch 64 (Figs. 8 and '23) which is normally open and is adapted to be closed by the swinging of tone arm 36 to its innermost or play-terminating position, immediately after tripping of latch lever 56 by the tone arm.

General operation In normal inoperative condition, the auxiliary record supporting means G assumes a position in which the wheels 45 are in their uppermost and outwardly disposed broken line positions of Figs. 1, l5 and 18. The record storage means E is adapted to be disposed by horizontal movement either in its innermost position of Figs. 1 and 29 for supporting a stack of ten inch records, or in its outermost position of Fig. 25 for supporting a stack of twelve inch records. If it is desired to play successively the recordings on the under and upper sides of each of the records R mounted in stack upon the storage means E, control lever 54 is moved to its full line position of Figs. 1 2, 5 and 8. If it is desired to play automatically and successively only the recordings on the upper sides of the records, however, this control lever 54 is moved to its intermediate broken line position of Fig. 5, as designated in Fig. 1 as the "Top position, and if it is desired to operate the phonograph manually, the outer end of this control lever 54 is moved further in the same direction, or rearwardly, to the extreme position designated in Fig. 1 as Man. The only other necessary action on the part of the operator, after he has placed the records desired to be played on the storage means E, if the machine is to be operated automatically, is to manually close the main switch 59.

The latch lever 56 is normally in its inoperative broken line position of Fig. 5 following automatic termination of a previous operation of the machine, so that, with the control lever 54 in either of its two selectively settable positions for determining automatic operation, such closing of the main switch 59 will initiate rotation of cam gear 46 through the agency of spline 52 and trip lever 53. If control lever 54 has been moved to its manual position, however, the trip lever 53 will be held thereby in its rearmost inoperative position, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 5 and in full lines in Fig. 6, in a manner to be described in detail hereafter, to prevent actuation of cam gear 46.

The first resulting complete rotation of cam gear 45, when control lever 54 is set to cause successive playing of both sides of the records, swings the wheels horizontally to their operative full line position of Fig. 1, swings the tone arm 36 to its outermost inoperative position, as designated at 36a in Fig. 1, actuates the record moving means F to displace the lowermost record in the stack from stack position into vertical alignment with the turntable B, whereupon such displaced record falls upon the wheels 45, lowers the wheels 45 simultaneously until they engage the upper surface of the turntable B, to cause the wheels to be rotated to rotate the record supported thereon in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of the turntable, and swings the tone arm inwardly horizontally to its initial playing position, as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1, and raises the stylus end thereof to engage the needle 38 with the underside of the record. At this point, cam gear 46 comes to rest in the position shown in Fig. 9, the gap in the peripheral teeth thereon again having been broughtintc registry with the pinion 5|, and the trip lever 53 having been reset to its full line inoperative position of Fig. 5 during such rotation of the cam gear, in a manner to be described hereinafter in detail. Prior to initiation of rotation of cam gear 46, as above described, track switch 4'! was in its normal broken line position of Fig. 9, and during this first rotation of the cam gear, a pin on the end of a lever 66 (comprising partof the connections between the cam gear and the auxiliary record support means G) which was initially in its broken line position of Fig. 9 in the outer track 48 of the cam gear, has been moved into the inner track 49 by such rotation of the cam gear. As this pin passes the trailing edge of track switch 41, it moves the latter to its full line position of Fig. 9, so that during the subsequent rotation of cam gear 46, this pin 65 is caused to re-enter the outer track groove 48 and re-position the switch 41 to its broken line position of this figure.

Upon completion of the first rotation of cam gear 46, the actuating mechanism remains inactive throughout the ensuing playing of the recording on the under side of the record being supported and rotated by the wheels 45. Upon completion of the playing of this recording, the tone arm 38 functions to trip latch lever 56 from its full line to its broken line position of Fig. 5 to permit spring 51 to again engage trip lever 53 with spline 52, thus initiating a second rotation of cam gear 46. During this second rotation of the cam gear, the stylus end of the tone arm is moved downwardly to neutral position, the tone arm is swung from its play-terminating position 36d of Fig. 3 to its inoperative position 36a, the wheels 45 are moved upwardly simultaneously and then swung outwardly horizontally to their normal inoperative position, and the tone arm is swung inwardly to initial playing position 361) or 36c, and the needle end thereof lowered to engage needle 39 with the upper side of the record. It will be understood that this outward swinging of wheels'45 to'their inoperative position results in that record, the recording on the under side of which has just been played, being dropped onto the turntable B. As soon as needle 39 is engaged'with the playing groove in the upper surface of this record, cam gear 46 has cessive rotations of cam gear '46. -As the wheels 45'areswung outwardly to their inoperative -position following playing of the recording on the under side of the last or uppermost record-which has placed on thestoragemeansRcontrol switch 63 :is' closed. Since control switch 62 :also was closed upon removal-of the last record from the storag means Eby the record moving means F,

subsequent closing of control switch T64 by move- :ment of tone arm 36 to play-terminating "position,

.iollowing playing 'of' the obverse recording on this last record, causes energization of solenoid -61 to automatically open main. switch 5 9 to terminate operation of the phonograph.

If. control .lever 54 initially was set to its intermediate or .Top position, the rear end 61' of a to its innerpositiontof Fig. 9; In such position,

:the inner end 61 of 'this-ileverfunctions to swing the track. switch-'41 from iits'broken line to its fiuli-linczposition of Fig. '9 during the initial portion of eachlcyclic rotation ofcam gear 46. Consequently, only the :outer track groove -'48 is op- 'erative during successive.rotations of cam gear 46, whenever control lever :54 is so set, 'so that .each rotation Off-the cam .gearv causes delivery of the ;lowermost record :in stack on the storage means E to the auxiliary supportingrwheels 45 :and by the latter to .the turntable B for playing ,o'f t-he recordings on the obverse sides thereof.

Settin'goic control lever '54 to itsuinnermost or manual position causes :the trip lever 53 to :be

.moved to its full .lineposi'tion ofFigufi to prevent r engagementathereof .with the spline 52. The

phonograph then maybe operated .manually to gplaythe recording; on'the upper surface of an record placed on iturn'tableB.

From the above description, it will now better be appreciated ;how the. instant mechanism may be operated selectively. to playautomatically and successively the recordings; on both sides of a plurality-0i disc :records or onlythe recordings on a ;corr:espionding,sideofqeach of one-or more records. "In either type of automatic operation, the auxiliary record supporting; wheels 45 function to receive the. record removed from the record storage, means E by the (record moving means F andy-to prevent damage toeither the "tone arm and stylus or .the :record, whichimight otherwise obtain inythexdirect :dropping pf :a record :fromthe stack onto :the turntable 3. Since the record -moving;means FF :functions only when the auxiliary record supporting .wheels'45 are in their inwardly swung, iulltline position of Fig. 1, even faulty operation 7 of :record moving means F resulting; in ,thememoval "or more than one record from gthe stack will not affect playing operation of "the machine nor :cause any damage to the, records or ;tone arm.1,;-"I'-hese; auxiliary .record supporting wheels-"4:5 also; enable a smoother cycle of operation of; the: actuating mechanism ,by permitting slowerareturn movement :of the tone arm from its iplayeterminating position to itsinoperative position; In priorart'irecordi changers,

lever actuated thereby would have been moved 40 such return movement of the tone arm must be accomplished rapidly in a very small portion of the cycle of operations to insure the tone arm being moved beyond the periphery of the turntable before actuation of the push-off mechanism. In the instant machine, however, a record may 'be removed from the stack by the moving means F during return movement of the tone arm. ;In other words, a greater portion of the cycle of operations may be employedfto accom- I plishreturn movement of the tone arm, since the auxiliary record-supporting whee1s-45 function as a means for protecting the tone arm during such return movement.

"It will be understood that uponcompletion of the-playing of any recordin Whether it be on the upper or under side of a record, the ton arm 35 functions to'close control switch 64- and to trip latch -lever56. However, if any record remains in the storage means E at this time, such closing of switch 64 is ineffective, since control switch 62 connected in series therewith will be open, this switch 62 only being closed when no records remain on the record 'storage means E.

Also, even with this record-responsive control switch '62 closed, the closing'of control switch-84 by the tone arm will-be ineiiective'unless control switch 63, also connected in series therewith is closed, and the latter condition :Jobta'ins only whenthe auxiliary'recordsupporting wheels 45 are in their outermost inoperative position.- The wheels 45 are so positioned only during the-play- 'ing of the recording on the upper side of the record. --Consequently, play-terminating closing of control switch 64 by tonearm 36 is efiective to terminate operation'of the machine only following the playing of the recording onthe upper sideof the last record.

"Tone arm 36 is then free to be-swun manually outwardly to its inoperativeposition so that the "played records may be removed vertically from the turntable B. The same. orother records may then be mountedon the record storage means E.

In order that theoperator may be required thereafter only toperform the single function of closing the main switch 59 to initiate another automatic cycle ofoperations, the play-terminating closing of control switch 64 'by the tone arm 36 is" so timed as to permit immediately subsequent-tripping of la'tchlever 58 by the tone arm as the driving motor .0 comes to a stop. Consequently, trip lever 53 will be left inits un- -'latched,-operative position upon termination of a complete, cycle of operations following the playing of the recording on the upper side of the last record-previously placed in the stack, so that re-energization of motor C by closing of main switch 59 to initiate another automatic cycle of operationswill cause the-trip lever to be engaged by the spline52 'to automatically initiate :actuation-of-c-am gear 46. 'In o'rder to insure such operation, to'prevent over-riding of cam gear 46 beyond its normal inoperative position, andto insure completion'of each rotation thereof,'.aebrakeaand cam gear positioning mechanism-is provided (Figs. Rand 9) which. comprises a :notched cam fiasecu'red to theunder side of own -gear 46, and a spring-loaded positioning 'finger 69 cooperating therewith. l

It- -will be apparent, of course, that control switch 64 maybe closed at such tim asto-prevent sub secp ent' tripping of latch lever 56- upon completion of-the playing of the recording on the upper side of the last reco'rdg if desired} How- :ever,--suchtiming ofthe closing of control switch 64 would result in the operator of the phonograph having to actuate reject lever 55 to trip latch lever 56 after closing of the main switch 59, in order to initiate a new automatic cycle of operations. Th preferred timing of the closing of control switch 64 by tone arm 36 thus eliminates the necessity of the operator actuating reiect lever 55 to start an automatic playing cycle.

The specific means for swinging the tone arm horizontally, as well as that for moving the stylus end thereof vertically, the novel tone arm actuated trip mechanism for automatically initiating operation of the actuating mechanism,

Actuati'ng and trip mechanism As best seen in Fig. 12, the cam gear 46 of the actuating mechanism is mounted for rotation upon a vertical shaft H secured at its opposite ends to the top and bottom plates 32, 33 of the supporting frame A, the hub portion of the cam gear resting upon a suitable spacer sleeve 12 mounted on the lower portion ofshaft H. In addition to the peripheral gear teeth on the actuating cam 46, the latter is provided with an annular cam track 13 formed on the upper surface thereof for moving the tone arm 36 from its lower playing position upwardly to a neutral position, in a manner to be described in detail hereinafter. Cam gear 46 is also provided with a plurality of posts 14 formed integrally with, and upstanding from, the main body portion thereof. Mounted upon the upper ends of the posts 14 and secured thereto in any suitable manner is an eccentric edge cam disc 75 for controlling horizontal swinging movements of tone arm 36, in a manner later to be described in detail. This cam disc 15 is provided with a central aperture through which the cam gear supporting shaft ll extends, and an aperture 16 (Fig. 4) through which the rear end of latch lever 56 extends.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 5 and 6, trip lever 53 is pivotally mounted at 1'! intermediate its ends on the upper side of the cam gear 46. Latch lever 56 likewise is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the upper side of cam gear 46 at 18. The rear end of latch lever 56, which extends upwardly through the aperture 16 in the cam disc 15, is provided with an adjustable actuating screw 18 adapted to be contacted :by a lower arm of the record reproducer means D as the tone arm 36 moves to play-terminating position. The forwardarm oflatch lever 56 is provided with a shoulder 8| which cooperates with a. lug or vertically disposed shelf 82 formed on the triplever 53.

It will be noted from Figs. 5 and 6 that the distance between shoulder 8| on latch lever 56 and the pivot 18 of this lever is considerably greater than the distance between pivot 11 of trip lever 53 and the shelf B2 formed on the latter. The reason for this particular disposition of the cooperating shoulder 8i and lug 82 relative to their respective pivots 18 and I1 is to reduce to a minimum the force required to trip the levers 56, 53 from their full line to their broken line positions of Fig. 5 by movement to the left therein of the actuating screw 19. As will be appreciated from careful consideration of this view of the trip mechanism, counterclockwise tripping movement of latch lever 56 results in shoulder 61 being swung rearwardly away from lug 82. Such movement of latch lever 56 permits spring 5'l',"which interconnects the rear end of the latter and the right end of trip lever 53, to swing trip lever 53 in a counterclockwise direction. Because of the previously noted difference between the radii of the resulting arcs of movement of shoulder 8| and lug 82, spring 57 is permitted-to contract or shorten "itself during such unlatching counterclockwise movements of levers .56, 53. In other words,'tripping of latch lever 56 by the tone arm does not entail tensioning of spring'51, the spring being extended to its greatest length when levers 56, 53 are in their full line, latched position of Fig. 5, so that. the force required to move latch lever 56 to its; broken line position is only that necessary to overcome the inertia of thislight lever, and spring 51 functions to impart the necessary follow-up, unlatching movement, of

trip lever 53 from its full line position of Fig. 5 in a counterclockwise direction to its broken line, operative position. Consequently, it is necessary only to apply a minimum force to screw 19 in order to actuate this novel trip mechanism. The importance of this arrangement will be appreciated when it is considered thatthe driving force for actuating the trip mechanism is derived from the swinging of the tone arm-36 by virtue of engagementof its needle 38 or 39 in the sound groove of a record. With this specific trip mechanism, the additional lateral reaction by the needle of the tone arm against the record groove in actuation of latch lever 56 is negligible.

After the trip mechanism has been actuated, it is again automatically reset to its full line position of Fig. 5 during the subsequent rotation of cam gear 46 by inward movement of the left end of trip lever 53, in a manner to be described in detail hereinafter. The resulting clockwise rotationof trip lever 53 functions to re-extend or tension spring 51, and shelf 82 is returned to latching engagement with shoulder 8| on latch lever 56. The forward end 83 of latch lever 56 is adapted to be moved inwardly by operation of reject lever 55 to render trip lever 53 operative, whenever it is desired to manually institute actuation ofcam gear 46. A stop pin 84 extends upwardly from the cam gear 46 for limiting clockwise movement of latch lever 56 by spring 51, and a similar stop pin 85 is provided for limiting counterclockwise rotation of latch lever 53.

Control lever 54 is pivo-tally mounted intermediate its ends on a suitable pin 86 extending downwardly from the top plate 32, this lever bemg channel-shaped in vertical cross section with its open side at the rear edge thereof. As illustratedin broken lines in Figs. 2, 5 and 6 and shown in full lines in Fig. 8, the lower leg of lever 54 is cut away at its rear end to provide a camlike actuating edge surface cooperating with a pin 81 mounted on a lever88, which in turn is pivotally-mounted intermediate its ends on a vertical shaft 89 depending from the top plate 32 of the supporting frame A. The right end of this lever 88 also is channel-shaped in'vertical cross section, the upper leg thereof terminating in an arm 91 whichis shorter than the lower leg, the latter being designated by reference numeral 67 and functioning to cooperate with track switch 41 in the manner previously described. The left end of lever 88 is interconnected to control lever 54 by a suitable spring '92:. At its inner end, lever .313 1-;54 ;is;.p10vided with; a vertically disposed pin 93 ,gc-ooperating with the outer, notched-edge of a positioning latch, lever 94, which is pivoted at its ..;,fo r.ward endon the shaft 89. The rearyendnof :.-latch. lever .84 is urged outwardly bya coil spring -.9.5,..so that theouter. notched, edgezof the, latch lever is maintained in yielding. engagement with .the;:pin 93.on.control lever 54. With this arrang'ement, swinging movement. of l control. lever :54about its pivot 86 results in movement of. lever .88. eitherbyactuation of pinxBl .or spring-92 to the. various positions illustrated in Figsofi. and .6. .The pin 93 engages one. of'sthe three notchesin the-forward edgeof. latch .lever..94 to'm'aintain :this control mechanism in any one of it .three .itxcannot be engaged with spline 52, thus render ing'the actuating mechanism 'H inoperable.

:Reje-ct lever55 (Figs.- 2, 5 and 8) is also'-pivot-"- ally mounted intermediate itsends on pin- 85. 1 The inner end of this'reject' lever 55'is connected .-.:by means of a spring 95 to-alever 91 which is isipivoitally mounted at one end in shaft'89 and is adapted to-cooperate at its other end with the forward end 83 of latch lever -56;sothat counter- *.clockwise movement of the reject lever 55 from its full line position of-Fig.'-5 will be accompanied by similar swinging of lever 97 to actuate the trip mechanism to release trip lever 53 to initiate rotation of cam gear 46.

Auxiliary. record support mechanism Referring particularly to Figs. 8 and 9, it will 'be seen that the outer and inner track grooves 48 and 49 of the actuating cam gear 43 provide the highest and lowest points, respectively, of this portion of the cam gear in the normal position of rest thereof, wherein pin 6'5 is in its broken line-or full [line position, respectively, of Fig. 9. 'Diametrically opposite these high and low points of the cam gear, the outer and inner grooves 48, 49 iintersect to form a common intermediate i point 98. It is at the inner end of this intersect- -ing or common portion 98 of the cam grooves 48, 49 that the leading end of track switch 41 becomes eifective when the track switch is in its full line position of these figures. Track switch 41 is pivotally mounted on the lower surface of cam gear 46 at 99 between the outer and inner grooves 48, 49. The forward end of switch 47 is provided with a depending pin IOI (Fig. 9) adapted to cooperate with the lower end 81 of I j le'ver 88 in the manner previously described. The rear e'dge of track switch 41 is provided with a pair of notches I02 for cooperation, respectively, in :the two possible positions of the track switch with a spring-urged latch I03 mounted in any suitablemanner in the rib portion of the cam gear 46 defined by grooves 48, 49. Track switch 41 is thus yieldably retained in either of its full or broken line positions of Fig. 9 by latch I 03 rec-acting with one or the other of the notches ,Referring now to Figs. 1,'2, 7,8, 9 and 15 to .19, the details of construction of the auxiliary recordsupport means G and-theconnections:be-'

tween such mechanism and theaactuatingmechanism Hwillbe described. in detail. Three ver- 1: :tically disposed shaftsIM (Figs. 7 to 9,;15'and 19) spacedzequaledistantly from each otherand from the lower end of..spindle;4l, are mounted is .pivotally. mounted intermediate its ends on the rear one of these vertical shafts I84, .and is pivotally connectedadjacent its. rear end at I95 ,to one :end of. a link:l86. ..Pivotally mounted on ,eachof the threevertical shafts N14 is a :gear .seotorIGI (Figs. 9, 15 and 19). The rearmost .201" these three, gear sectors llll is pivotally connectedat I98 to one end of alink 108 which, 20-

in turn, is pivotally-connected .atits other .end .at I I I, both .170 the intermediate gear sectorlfll and to theforward endof link- 186. The other or forward: side of this intermediate:gearsector I til; is. similarly pivotally connected .to .the :for-

, ward :gear sector l9? by .a link H2. -With this garrangementqmcvement of lever .68 between its :full and broken line positions oflFig. 9 byactuating cam .gear 48 .will result .in simultaneous swingingzof allthree z-gear sectors 101 between ,5 their fulland broken: line positions.

Referring now particularly .to .Figsl lSrto 19, the connections between each gear sector" IB'IL'and 5 its associated auxiliary record supporting wheel to will be described, it being understood that each wheel is mounted,.and actuated .byithe associated gear sector [61, in the same manner as each of the other wheels. Each wheel 45 is rotatably mounted in any suitable manner on the end of the upper, horizontally disposed portion ofa right-angled shaft I IS, the vertical portion of which is disposed laterally in relation to the. plane of rotation of the wheel :45. Intermediate its ends, this vertical portionofshaft H3 has a disc cam member H4 centrally mounted thereon and rigidly secured thereto. The

lower, surface of this cam disc H4 is angularly disposed with relation toa horizontal plane, as best seen in'Fig. 15. A companion cam disc I is rotatably. mounted upon the vertical vportion of shaft H3 for cooperation with cam disc :II4, and is provided :with'an angularly disposed upper surface which is complemental to the angularly disposed lower surface of cam disc H4. This lower cam disc I I5 is yieldably held infrictional contact with the upper'cam disc I I4 by means of a coil spring H5 mounted upon horizontally disposed roller or cam follower H8 the lower end of :shaft H3 .andinterposed between the lower surface of cam disc H5 and a retaining disc or washer II'I secured in any suitable manner to the lower end of shaft '3. A

is rotatably mounted upon a: suitable shouldered screw secured at its inner end to and extending laterally from the lower cam disc I I5. This cam follower H8 extends outwardly through a vertical slot H9 provided inthe inner side wall of ca hollow innersleeve 52! which is provided with upper end of this stationary inner sleeve I21, a

.lowerreduced. portion of the sleeve I2! forming A bearing ring I22, 

